1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intraluminal polymeric stents, and more particularly to intraluminal polymeric stents formed from blends of polymers, blends of polymers and plasticizers, blends of polymers and radiopaque agents, blends of polymers, plasticizers and radiopaque agents, blends of polymers, radiopaque agents and therapeutic agents, blends of polymers, plasticizers, radiopaque agents and therapeutic agents, or any combination thereof. These polymeric stents may have a modified molecular orientation due to the application of stress.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently manufactured intraluminal stents do not adequately provide sufficient tailoring of the properties of the material forming the stent to the desired mechanical behavior of the device under clinically relevant in-vivo loading conditions. Any intraluminal device should preferably exhibit certain characteristics, including maintaining vessel patency through an acute and/or chronic outward force that will help to remodel the vessel to its intended luminal diameter, preventing excessive radial recoil upon deployment, exhibiting sufficient fatigue resistance and exhibiting sufficient ductility so as to provide adequate coverage over the full range of intended expansion diameters.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop materials and the associated processes for manufacturing intraluminal stents that provide device designers with the opportunity to engineer the device to specific applications.